by James Quetzal

Created on: November 07, 2009

Has the floor in your bathroom seen better days? Is your budget already stretched to the max? If so, you may want to consider installing peel-and-stick tiles instead of ceramic or linoleum. Not only are peel-and-stick tiles less expensive to purchase, but they are a do-it-yourself project that you can easily tackle yourself.

Purchase the Tile

The first step is to purchase your tiles. Choose the best-quality tile that fits in your budget; otherwise you may need to replace the floor when the corners start to lift or the tiles shrink. For the best renovation bang for your buck, choose tiles in a neutral tone that coordinate with your existing color scheme.

Plan Your Attack

Be sure to set aside at least one full day to tackle this project, if not two. In order to lay the tiles correctly, you will want to start somewhere in the middle of the room rather than at an edge. The best strategy is to snap two perpendicular chalk lines that are square to the room and then begin laying full tiles outward from these chalk lines.

To make your life even easier, measure the chalk line from the wall on two sides so that you will end up with full tiles when you reach the walls on these sides. This means that you will only have to cut tiles on two walls of the room. This is helpful both in terms of reducing the work that you need to do and improving the appearance of the room. If there is a wall with lots of obstacles such as a vanity and toilet, you may want to make that your cut wall, since you will need to cut pieces along it anyway.

Lay Your Tiles

Make sure that you are laying tiles on a well-cleaned floor. Remove the backing from a tile and press it firmly into place. Continue in this manner until you have laid all of the full-sized tiles. When you reach walls or other obstacles that require cut pieces, the best strategy is to turn the tile around and mark it along the edge. This will give you a perfect-fitting piece. For odd obstacles like the toilet, it may take some trial and error to cut the right piece. If necessary, make a template out of paper first to get the right shape.

By following the above steps you should be well on your way to laying peel-and-stick tile on your bathroom floor. One thing to remember; if the floor underneath is in really bad shape you may need to do some preparation work prior to laying your peel-and-stick tile. However, when the floor underneath is in good condition, this is a relatively easy do-it-yourself project that even the most novice home renovator can tackle.

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